Best TF2 Server Hosting

Why Host A TF2 Server?

Hosting a TF2 server can be challenging but rewarding at the same time.

Instead of having players stuck to the competitive side of TF2, hosting a community server gives these players a chance to play the game differently.

In addition, you have total control over your server - you can choose everything from the map and game mode to the players who are allowed to join.

Your TF2 server can also generate income as well.

You can charge players for special in-game power ups and items, such as a VIP, which can give players exclusive access to abilities that average players cannot use.

VIPs are behind a paywall, which could directly go to you through the purchases those players have made.

Having to pay for hosting providers and constantly checking your server can be tedious, but in the end, it’s very beneficial.

How Much is a TF2 Server?

TF2 server hosting can range between $15 per month and $35 per month, on average.

However, the hosting provider does more than just host. These providers give your server access to DDOS protection, reliable uptime, universal access, dedicated support, and even modding capabilities.

Not only are you paying for the hosting support, you’re also paying for the extra services that come with it as well.

How We Picked

We picked the best server hosts for you based on total cost, performance, price to performance, customer support, and prior server host experience with other games.

Each host has its strengths, so we urge you to choose based on the categories and what you think you need.

For example, if you plan on hosting full clans of players ready to go at it 24/7, then maybe don’t get the budget option, and if you only have a couple of friends and wanna fight each other, then you probably should go with a cheaper server based around slot prices.

Top TF2 Server Hosting Companies

Let’s say you finally want to step up your game and move beyond private servers.

Here are five of the best TF2 server hosting companies around:

PingPerfect

Game Servers

Not only do they have great servers and an awesome control panel, they also have an amazing support team. Their responsiveness and helpfulness absolutely blew me away, especially when compared to the other companies on this list.

PingPerfect’s TF2 servers start at $0.44USD per slot. So if you’re planning to host a TF2 server with a slot count of 32 using PingPerfect, then it will cost you $14.08 a month, a bit cheaper than the previous service.

PingPerfect has DDOS support, Global locations, and free web hosting with all of their game servers.

GameServers

Hosting Provider

GameServers is is one of the oldest hosting companies around today. They have served over 500,000 customers since 2004, including Infinity Ward (COD: Modern Warfare), Treyarch (COD: Black Ops) and more.

Streamline Servers

Hosting Provider

Streamline Servers is one of the best hosting companies around. They're a bit pricey, but you get your money's worth. Streamline Servers are the fastest we've tested, and they have a terrific support team as well.

Free TF2 Server Hosting Companies

While there aren’t many options when it comes to free TF2 server hosting companies, the closest thing to getting easy access with proper hosting is serveme.tf. However, this host isn’t verified, or even free.

This service still requires some sort of pay, with in-game TF2 currency called “keys,” which are worth $2.49USD.

Even with this option, there aren’t many free TF2 hosting companies currently available.

Choosing the cheapest company to host your server is the best option to avoid extreme prices.

PingPerfect offers deals of $14.08 a month for a 32 slot server. This offer is a very cheap alternative if you’re looking to conserve money.

What is TF2?

Team Fortress 2 is a multiplayer first-person shooter game developed and published by Valve. It is the sequel to the 1996 mod Team Fortress for Quake and its 1999 remake, Team Fortress Classic. It was released as part of the video game bundle The Orange Box in October 2007 for Microsoft Windows and the Xbox 360.

TF2 is old, but it’s doing better than ever. With a 9/10 rating on Steam, this game isn’t going anywhere.

Hosting a TF2 Server: Easy Way vs Hard Way

You can painstakingly setup your own TF2 server and run it on your computer, or take the easy way out and pay for hosting.

Paying is usually the best option, especially if you want a legitimate, populated server - but let’s compare both options to see which is best for you:

Paying For Dedicated TF2 Hosting (Easy)

Hosting a TF2 server with a company is the easiest way to do it. You won’t have to worry about performance or connection issues, not to mention leaving your computer on all the time.

Pros:

You won’t need your computer to be constantly running.

An easier array of modding support will be available.

Less CPU usage.

Cons:

A required monthly payment for the service.

Hosting Yourself (Hard)

Hosting a server yourself could become quite tricky because it requires your computer to be always running.

Your PC will also find itself under heavy load when hosting a full server. While things will be fine for you and a few friends, once your server starts to fill up, things will start to lag.

Lots of players in a server is stressful on the CPU and your network, which already has to handle your game as well.

If you want to host a serious server and grow a real community, hosting it yourself isn’t really an option.

Pros:

Free

Cons:

Your computer needs to be on for the server to run uninterrupted.

Constant computer use takes a toll on RAM and CPU.

Your server isn’t always available

Worse performance and reliability

Can’t grow a community

TF2 Private Server Hosting

Hosting a private server is best for beginners, only allowing players to join who have access to your server password.

Any player can create this kind of server. However, these servers come without any plugins or hosting attachments.

But what if you want to host a TF2 server with more than just the stock tools the game already gives you?

There are many ways to enhance your TF2 private server with plugins, commands, and maps. They give the players more options, allowing them to choose how they want to play the game.

For example, you can create a custom’ Message of the Day’, which activates when a new player joins the server. This custom message can be unique to your server, setting it apart from others in the game.

Types of TF2 Servers

Not all TF2 servers were created equal. There are a ton of different types, but here are some of the most common:

Surfing

Surfing is one of the most popular TF2 community server types.

Surfing first became a thing when players of CS: Source realized that they could take advantage of the flexible aerial movement of the engine and put it to use.

This discovery was the beginning of surfing.

As Valve started to release more titles, more games got the surfing treatment.

Titles such as CS:GO, Garry’s Mod, and TF2 started to bring popularity to the game type.

Most video games to this day haven’t been able to replicate the same smooth motion that these titles have achieved, so this mode is unique to games that use TF2’s engine.

Surfing is highly dependent on the Source Engine, which allows players to maneuver across the map with aerial motion.

Avoiding obstacles and getting through to the end is the primary goal of this game type.

Typically, TF2 surfing servers use a rotation plugin, which has the players take a vote for their map of choice every hour or so.

Each surfing map could vary from one another, with difficulty and length being interchangeable.

This variability gives players the motivation to keep on trying until they reach the very end of a new map.

Surfing has quite the community, as many servers have been running for years on popular hosting companies such as PingPerfect and more.

Trade Servers

For the years TF2 has been around, it has been known as the very first “hat simulator.” And while this may sound like a funny term, it’s pretty accurate.

TF2 has its own economy, which mainly consists of the in-game currency such as scrap, rec, ref, and keys, keys being the highest level of value.

These levels of in-game currency are spent on the abundance of cosmetic and weapon items in TF2’s marketplace.

Players can join trade servers and trade their many cosmetic and weapon items based on their value.

For example, if someone has a hat that’s worth 3 keys and wants to trade it, their best bet is to find a trade server to join and attempt to make a profit.

Eventually, once a player is found, they will have to give that person 3 keys for the hat in return.

Trade servers in TF2 are some of the easiest ways a player can make a profit.

So if you’re looking for a community that is passionate about selling and trading in-game currency, maybe joining a couple of TF2 trade servers will be the best way to go.

Custom Maps and Mods

Lastly, many community servers use traditional gameplay, but players game on a custom map with crazy mods and spawns, as opposed to vanilla games.

Once I joined a server that was in a Minecraft world, and another TF2 server had a Gears of War theme. It was pretty cool!